From what we’ve heard, it’s aimed at getting those who wouldn’t normally speak up or air their ideas in public rather than the usual community groups and it’ll be the community who vote and decide who gets the cash.

So far, it sounds great. Let’s just hope that it happens. We’re voting to have a Gladiators style assault course built in the car park opposite the Phad Thai.

A while ago we reported that local coffee shop Sykes, on the corner of Sykes Street and Gorton Road, was up for sale. As one of our regular meeting places this saddened us. Although we felt it never fully reached its potential, it is a nice place to sit and have a cup of coffee, lunch or an ice cream.

We were really pleased to hear that Sykes has found a buyer and the indications are that the new owner wishes to develop the business further.

Agents Harvey Silver Hodgkinson told us “The sale of the cafe & sandwich bar business called Sykes Coffee Bar completed yesterday. Mrs Kanaris is now the proud owner of the business after signing a new 6 year lease on the premises. We would like to wish them the very best of luck with their new business.”

We can’t wait to meet Mrs Kanaris and certainly wish her every success. Sykes is an integral part of bringing the community together and with the right leadership, has the potential to be a great meeting place.

By Jez Myers

(I also had a choice of Eric Sykes or Ollie Sykes of Bring Me The Horizon but went with Melanie)

Here at Reddish News, we like to keep you in the loop about what’s going on locally. After all, that is the idea behind the site!

Willow Grove Cemetery Walk

Are you interested in Reddish and want to learn more about the social history connected with the area?

If so, why not join the accompanied walks around the cemetery’s heritage trail and listen to some interesting and sad stories of the people buried there?

This weekend, Saturday 8th September at 11.00am and 2.00pm the Friends of Stockport Cemeteries will be holding guided tours.

A free booklet of the History of Willow Grove will be given to all those who join the walk.
If you’re interested then simply meet the guide at the main gates.
Contact number for further information 0161 439 5963 or visit the web site Willow Grove Cemetery,
Central Drive

Reddish
Stockport
SK5 7QJ

This looks great to the point where we’ll be attending and reporting back on it next week.

Andrew Gwynne MP Advice Bureaux

Need advice and think that your local MP is the person to turn to? Well, you’re in luck. Andrew has designed a new poster telling you exactly how to contact him.

If you feel that you need to talk about a more pressing local issue then our local councillors also hold drop in sessions.

All Reddish Councillors hold regular advice surgeries where you can drop in without an appointment to discuss any issues that are worrying you about where you live.

North Reddish Councillors

Kate, Paul and Dave do their main surgery on Wednesday evenings each week on a rota at Reddish Library on Gorton Road from 7pm to 7:45pm.

They are also available on the second Thursday of each month as part of the Poet’s Corner Action Group meeting for residents at the Mike Doyle Centre on Browning Street. There is a private area available here for anyone who needs a confidential chat.

South Reddish Councillors

Andy, Tom and Walter run a weekly advice bureau every Friday at the Triangle Church on Sandy Lane from 6pm to 7pm. Again, you don’t need an appointment.

Jobs at Simon Antony

Based in Broadstone Mill, Simon Antony is a Digital Design company that is currently recruiting. If you’re a Dotnet or front end developer, then this could be just what you are looking for.

“Simon Antony are a team of passionate experts and we love working with like minded people. Through continual research and innovation we seek to offer best practice in everything we offer clients so obviously we look for the best people to work with us!

Our recruitment process is not the norm, primarily we recruit based upon the personality over technical skills as in our environment, capability thrives and is well rewarded. We’re also a team, that shares and supports each other: there’s no room for individual heros, you will be a part of a growing family (and yes you will meet the kids as well)

If this is the culture & environment in which you thrive then we’d like to hear from you.”

Sorry we’ve been pretty quiet over the past few weeks, we’ve all been very busy but hopefully back on track now. There will be a proper blog post later on this week but for now we just wanted to mention our happiness in hearing that the Grey Horse now has free Wi-fi.

You might remember our post about the lack of wi-fi in the Reddish area and so we hope that this will help people get online, and also encourage a few more drinkers down to the pub. We’ve been down a few times and were impressed by the prices and comfortable surroundings. There is even a nice garden at the back, one to remember next time we have a sunny day.

We’d be interested to hear about your favourite pubs in Reddish. Where should we go to get the best pint and the best atmosphere?

Inspired by London 2012? Want to become more physically active? Want to raise money for a charity that is close to you? Want to challenge yourself? Check out the information below and get involved with the Big Stockport Walk!

The Big Stockport Walk – 9th September 2012

Distance: 5 Mile & 10 Mile Walks

Start Time: From 10.00am until 12.00 noon

Starting Location: Reddish Vale Technology College, SK5 7HD

Finishing Location: Reddish Vale Technology College, SK5 7HD

Entry Cost: £5.00

Additional information: Register and pay before 31st July to be in with a chance of gaining £500 for your chosen charity. Sponsorship Form is available by clicking here or register at www.justgiving.com

Some of us are fairly new to Reddish, having lived here for less than a year, and to be honest we feel that the community spirit is a little lacking. We’ve met with some fantastic cheerleaders trying to do their best for the area but we’ve also met with some people who have either given up or consigned the area to failure.

We might not have a swimming pool but we do have a library and a community centre and a massive great park. There are some fantastic pockets of community spirit but there seems no real Reddish pride amongst residents. We’re lucky to have a lot of independent retailers so it is a surprise that they don’t seem to be leading the community. There are events going on, like the Jubilee party in Houldsworth Mill but people don’t seem to want to go. Is it because they don’t know about these things or is it because they have no interest in going?

The aesthetics of Reddish do not help; the many run down properties and empty shops doesn’t really instill pride. Stockport has been lucky enough to be included in the Portas Pilot Scheme, so perhaps Reddish can piggy back off of that and take steps to encourage new retailers to the area – not just the Square but throughout Reddish as a whole.

We would love to see a vibrant district centre that can hold it’s own against the likes of the Heatons. A community hub where people can gather and friendly spaces to meet. Somewhere that is a hive of activity that will draw people in from around Cheshire and Manchester.

What do you think? Do you feel Reddish pride? What changes would you like to see?

Today at Reddish News we’ve decided to start what we hope will become a series of five articles about what we hope Reddish will become, or overcome in the coming years.

Today we’re going to be starting with arguably the biggest element of them all: Communication.

Reddish, as a small community, has many things going for it. The fact that there are so many independent, local tradesmen and women, and stores in the area attest to that. But the way in which the ideas and ambitions that these businesses and individuals is expressed is at best crude and disparate to say the least.

Communication can play a very important role in this. Yes, we know that we have a Reddish Business Forum that provides a focal point for local businesses to come together to try and make Reddish a better place to trade for them. But are we as residents welcome to contribute to this process?

We think it’s in everybody’s interest to have a thriving hub of independent businesses where people can live, work, play and enjoy their time in. We’re not there yet.

So, as well as serving businesses in the local area and supporting them all that we can as individuals, what else can be done to attract new businesses to the area? What can be done to open Reddish up to the world, and encourage people to come to Reddish for shopping and living – that place where they can get the best coffee in the Stockport Area, where they can come and get their clothes altered, keys cut and shoes re-heeled with enough time to do a bit of shopping and grab a bite to eat?

The only time businesses and the community have come together in recent months to communicate with the world at large has been to oppose a mosque being built on the site of the old Bull’s Head pub. And, if we’re all honest with ourselves, was it really a positive campaign? As a community, do we want to be known as one that welcomes new groups and individuals (potentially new shoppers, generating income for local businesses), or do we want to be known as an insular, self-serving community, that doesn’t welcome fresh perspectives and new ideas. Which one would you rather be seen as?

Like it or not, some of our communication with the neighboring boroughs, towns and cities will be coloured by some of the language that we’ve seen firsthand via social media channels regarding the mosque’s planning application. And it’s not a case of ‘like it or lump it’ when it comes to setting up business in an area such as ours.

If we want to bring a more rounded selection of new and exciting businesses and people to Reddish, we have to learn to communicate what’s GREAT about our area. What makes it better to trade in than Levenshulme, Heaton Moor or Gorton? Or, for instance, what makes it a more attractive place to unwind than one of the four Heatons (hint – we’ve got a massive, beautiful country park)?

We’ve spent so much time as a community shouting about what we don’t want – how about we all get together and talk about what we do want for a change? Our hopes for the community, for industry, for business?

We already have a community centre. Maybe we should use it to do just that? Young and old, in an environment that is open to everybody, regardless of their age and their choice of watering hole.

What would you, as a Reddishian, like to communicate to the world around us? What do you think would attract people to the area? How would you like to be seen by the rest of Manchester and Stockport? How would you like to see the area grow?

These are all big questions – ones that can only be answered by communicating with everybody in a clearer, more concise way, without making sweeping generalisations about what our community is, and what it should be.

If you have a hankering for something sweet or you are looking for the perfect card to send to a loved one then look no further than Reddish’s own Candy’s and Cards. Located on Broadstone Road (number 66 to be precise), dedicated sweet enthusiast and talented card crafter Candy, hand makes beautiful cards for literally every occasion! And if there isn’t a card in her collection she’s happy to make a card specific to your needs. As for her sweet collection, it has to be seen to be believed! There aren’t enough old school style sweetie shops around nowadays and Candy definitely fills the gap in the market with her huge variety of sweets from sugar free to vegetarian, there is a sweet to satisfy everyone.

There are so many great people living in Reddish, working to make it a better place for everyone. One of the main objectives of Reddish News is to bring these brilliant people and their projects to light. This week Jez spoke to Christopher Hill, who is working on the Youth Space project. Don’t know what it is? That’s what we are here for! Read on to find out more in this great interview with Christopher!

Who are you and what is your connection to Reddish?

I’m Christopher Hill, a 20 year old student at the University of Manchester. I am a Reddish lad, lived here all my life and went to School at St. Elisabeth’s and Reddish Vale. I am also now deeply rooted at Reddish Vale as a Governor/Director.

I keep seeing you at events across Reddish and Stockport promoting Youthspace. What is it?

Youth Space is a concept we hope to develop into a social enterprise/co-operative/youth organisation. We aim to provide a platform for young people to achieve their ambitions whilst helping others. We hope to do this through a virtual space (www.youthspace.info) and a physical space (the youth space hub/shop in the centre of Reddish). Youth Space this year has funded work with Human Utopia(our partner organisation) and together we have worked with over 1000 young people. We are currently continuing our Future Leaders Programme that has 3 stages; Thinking, Doing,Changing. This is done by a combination of workshop and social action.

You pride yourself on having the co-op values. What are these and why do you feel they are such an integral part of what you do?

The values are: solidarity, democracy, equity, equality, self help and self responsibility. There are also a series of ethical values and a set of key principles that are available to see at www.youthspace.info.

The values to me represent universal aims for all human beings and so offer people the chance to grow and develop together, as one, as co-operators. The principles act as guide and temper my actions as co-operator and ensure live harmoniously with others. They are important because they have made a difference to my life through Phil Arnold (Director of College Improvement RVTC). He’s an inspirational man who was instrumental in bringing co-operation to RVTC. Since 2008 I have worked co-operatively to help develop a coffee co-op, creative co-op, and speak at high profile events, all things I wouldn’t have done otherwise. Above all else the values have made me want to be a ‘Phil Arnold’, someone that works tirelessly without courting recognition. That’s why I want to ask for help to develop Youth Space so more young people can be switched on by these values and make Reddish an even better place.

Do you feel that young people get much of a say in the local community? If not, how do you feel this could be addressed?

I think youth councils and organisations like the ROC Cafe have helped in this area to some degree. I still feel that the 16-17 year olds feel disenfranchised with no vote and no mechanism to express their good ideas, opinions and thoughts on the political questions of the day (local, national, global). Civil society can only remain ‘civil’ if young people have a point in which they can invest in hope for the future and harness the idealism that youth holds.

Specifically Youth Space proposes the Youth Space hub that would be funded through membership and wider stakeholders. This would continue our workshop work and provide a space in which young people can organise to set up social action projects to combat injustice. I believe young people have the passion and talent to be independent. Together they can take ownership of local politics without the aid of a politician/official who doesn’t know the price of milk or the plight of young people in the 21st century. Youth Space is happy to share knowledge of the political process in a neutral fashion but prefers young people to use co-operative action to bypass the red tape.

Reddish Business Forum are asking the question “What’s your vision for Reddish over the next five years?”. What’s yours?

– For Reddish to have a Councillor under the age of 24 to represent young peoples issues with real understanding. Cllrs to hold regular youth surgeries in local Schools.

– For Reddish’s youth organisations to join up their services to offer a safety net and variety of experiences for young people. No young person should miss out on the chance to develop skills outside of school hours. As “by the strength of our common endeavour we achieve more than we achieve alone”.

– To open the Youth Space Hub.

– To continue our work with Human Utopia accessing every school in Reddish/serves Reddish. With all young people in Reddish having the opportunity to be a hero.

– To see young people in Reddish celebrated as the area’s greatest asset.

Yes, the Youth Space BBQ and Activities Day at Reddish Vale Technology College. Earlier in the year I put in a bid for £800 from the Community First pot (supported by Cllr Verdeille, Sophia and James) and was successful. The event is a reward for the contribution young people have made to the Reddish community over the past year as ‘Heroes’. On the day we will have prizes for the young people, a high ropes assalt course, live music and DJ Sets. This event will also give current learners at Reddish Vale the chance to celebrate the Schools Diamond Jubillee. We also hope to encourage more young people to get involved and adults to support us in our second year of activity.

A few weeks ago, Cllr. Kate Butler sent us a tweet asking about where she could get free Wi-Fi in Reddish. Having had a think about it, I came back with nothing. Nada. Zilch. There’s a Cloud point in Houldsworth Square which is great if you have Sky Broadband or get your mobile from Phones4U. If you don’t though, then you have to pay for it. Not exactly what people are looking for when they think of ‘free’.

So, as I sit here in Starbucks, utilising their free Wi-Fi, writing this article, I can’t seem to understand why there aren’t any businesses that provide it locally. I’d have thought that in the centre, Sykes or Johnny’s Dinner would be ideal. Even the pubs would be better than the current ‘none’. Also as a way to keep people shopping locally, something that I’ll be writing about shortly, it’s of vital importance.

One of the things that we’ve noticed with this website, is the demand for a printed version, it’s something we’re working on trust me. However, the costs involved are substantial and, in reality, we shouldn’t HAVE to do a printed version. The city over we are working on improving digital connectivity and it’s something that we’re all passionate about but something that Reddish seems to do badly. Why?

Young professionals (and I’m still young at 35) want places to sit, eat, drink and work but require the space and the tools to do so. If that isn’t provided then they go elsewhere and that hurts the local economy. The same person who goes to Sykes for a coffee and a sandwich whilst doing their work, is the same person that calls in on the way home at Price Less (or is it Priceless, I’ve never been able to work that out) or Tittertons or Hobsons. This is the very same reason why it’s so important to support the local community centre and library. We’ve already lost the swimming pool, don’t let them be next.

In 2012, asking for a high quality local business to provide me with a coffee, pannini and wifi isn’t too much to ask, is it?